Racing: Keys on Melbourne Cup carousel

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Trainer Ken Keys has been in the spotlight over the past month through the deeds of 3-year-old Rich Enuff.

Now he has dreams of a Melbourne Cup start with dour stayer Like A Carousel who lines up in the Geelong Cup today.

Victory in the Cup would take Like A Carousel a step closer to a Melbourne Cup start, with the stayer sitting 49th in the order of entry.

Keys said he had kept an element of freshness about Like A Carousel after his win in the Harry White Stakes (2400m) at Sandown on September 27.

An out-and-out stayer, the son of Helike is already looking for further than the 2400m of the Geelong Cup, according to Keys.

In 30 years of training, Keys has never had a Melbourne Cup runner and Like A Carousel is keeping the dream alive. "It's only going to get harder and harder as time goes on," Keys said yesterday.

"This year might be the chance to have a runner. He's still in there. He's a two miler and some of the others might not be but we're not holding our breath."

Like A Carousel finished second in a Benchmark 70 race over 2400m on Geelong Cup Day 12 months ago before progressing to run second over 2800m on Melbourne Cup Day.

He was then stretched to 3200m in the Sandown Cup in which he finished second to Caravan Rolls On, an opponent today.

Meanwhile, Keys has denied rumours Rich Enuff has been sold for a reputed A$5 million.

"It's all crap," Keys said. "There's been discussions with studs."

Keys said that at this time only 25 per cent of the colt was for sale.

He said Rich Enuff had pulled up well after his second in the Caulfield Guineas.